Dance It Up
by odishon
Summary: The gang investigates strange disappearances of teens at a new hip nightclub. Pairings Kevin/Gwen, Ben/Julie.
1. Hey Mister DJ

_**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. (Except for Chez.)**_

* * *

At this hour the streets were practically empty, except for one brightly lit block. Music blasted from a small brick building in the thick of the lights.

"It's a good thing we got here early," Ben remarked. "This line is crazy."

"I know and the club doesn't even open for another twenty minutes," Gwen marveled at the winding procession of people behind them.

"I don't see why we hafta dress up," Kevin complained glaring down at his shirt. "It's just a dance club."

"Why not?" Julie asked turning around. "You look nice." Kevin looked somewhat mollified. Ben frowned.

"You too, Ben," Julie smiled back at him and squeezed his hand. He blushed a little and smiled at her.

"Besides," said Gwen. "The semi-formal wear policy is only for tonight's event. We're not even that dressed up."

"Speak for yourself." Kevin raised an eyebrow, giving her a once over.

Even Ben would admit that his cousin cut a stunning figure in a short cerulean halter-top dress and matching pumps complete with silver drops dangling from her ears. However, in his somewhat bias opinion, Julie looked far more beautiful than any girl in line. Her hair was pinned off her face with two little white butterfly clips that coordinated the trim on her jade spaghetti-strapped dress perfectly.

Ben had been working up the courage all week to ask Julie to go with to the Vortex. The ritzy new teen hotspot had opened a few weeks ago but it had become The Place to go with your friends. With the encouragements of Gwen, Ben finally mustered up the nerve to ask Julie to the first annual couples-night the club was holding.

In the days to follow after Julie accepted his invitation, he was in a state of constant worry. Gwen took pity on him and somehow managed to convince Kevin to go with her so she'd be there for support. She even helped him pick out something appropriate to wear for Julie. He'd himself spent hours trying to find something suitable but to no avail before she stepped in. A crisp crimson button-down, khakis, and nice russet shoes finished his ensemble.

An unexpected cool breeze blew by causing all four kids to shiver. It also knocked off some flyers that were taped along the wall of the brick building. Ben hurried to scoop them up.

"Hey, listen to this," he read off the flyer. "Tonight all pairs could go in for free and get drinks at half price."

"Excellent," Kevin said enthusiastically. "Anything else free?"

Ben flipped through the handful of bulletins. "No." He stopped suddenly.

"There are a lot of missing person notices though and I think this girl goes to our school."

The other three crowded around him.

"Nah, don't know her," Kevin dismissed.

"I do," Gwen squinted at the photo presented. "She was in my gym class."

"I think I recognize her, too," Julie said. "She's in our bio lab, Ben."

"That's right," Ben recalled the bushy blonde from his science class. Rebecca Olsen was her name according to the flyer. Apparently she disappeared from nearby the club.

"Alright move forward," someone called from the front of the line.

"Oh, good," said Gwen. "We're going in." Slowly, the four of them bustled ahead.

"Excuse me," a massive man with dark sunglasses stepped in front of Kevin. "We have a dress code."

Of the four of them Kevin was the most dressed-down. He wore his normal jeans and boots plus a clean slate v-neck shirt that, in Ben's view, was a bit too tight but the sleeves appeared to fit him. He moved forwards to protest for Kevin. Kevin just smiled.

"Chez, is that anyway to speak to a friend?" he inquired in a singsong tone. "I might think you're telling me I have no class."

"Kevin?" The bouncer "Chez" flipped the glasses down to the bridge of his nose. Getting a better look at whom he was talking to, he broke into a big toothy grin.

"Kevin! Good to see you man." He slapped his back. "Go on in."

He moved back to let them by.

"Thanks, man." Kevin said bumping fists with him as he past.

"How do you know him?" Ben asked curiously.

"Chez and me kinda run with the same crowd," Kevin explained. "Bumped into each other couple of times at the same mechanics shop."

"Wow." Julie's soft exclamation brought Ben's head around.

The club's interior was majestic. Black walls were highlighted with small glittering lights spread out like the night sky. Lowly lit booths with red velvet tablecloths hugged the far walls. A small concession bar stood off to one side with an attendant waiting behind the counter. On the dance floor planets and constellation were spotlighted on the terrazzo along with several strobes.

"Pretty swanky for a teen club," Gwen observed.

Off in one corner Ben notice Cash and JT were loudly and obnoxiously trying to hit on some girls.

"I don't believe it," Gwen muttered spotting them as well. "How the heck did those two get in?"

"Maybe they were each other's date?" Kevin suggested.

"Can I interest you in free samples?"

A waitress appeared behind them balance a tray with a multitude of colorful drinks. "The fiery Vortex Special, a blue Comet Icy and violet Asteroid Blast." She identified each of the beverages.

"Uh… sure."

Gwen and Kevin selected the red frizzy cups, Julie took purple, and Ben grabbed the blue Comet Icy.

Each teen took a swig.

"It's grape flavored!" Julie said delighted.

"Um… yeah." Ben cursed himself for not being able to stutter out anything more intelligent. He wished he could spend some time alone with her. Gwen seemed to guess what he was thinking.

"We'll catch up to you guys later," Gwen said dragging Kevin off to dance.

Ben looked around the club hopeless trying to think of something to say.

"I get the space theme but what's with the jungle animal?" He joked spying at the bar a coppery lion statue was half merged into the wall, resting its massive paws on the counter.

"No, it's Leo," Julie corrected taking a sip of her drink.

"You named him?" Ben goggled at her.

"Leo is from the Greek myths," Julie explained. "Look, there's Cancer and Dracos and… Ben, am I boring you?" Noticing his attentions strayed to the dance floor.

"No, not at all," Ben assured her. _Just ask her to dance, Ben. How hard is that really?_ he thought in frustration. He opened his mouth.

"I…" He couldn't get the words out.

"Yes?" Julie looked at him hopefully.

"I'll get us some more drinks," popped out instead of his intended dance proposal._ Nice, Ben. Real nice._

"Oh. Okay." Julie gave him her empty glass to throw away.

He smiled through his self-annoyance. "Don't go anywhere. I'll be right back."

Weaving through the throng he mentally prepared to get his request correct this time.

_Hey, Julie, wanna dance? No, too forwards._

Ben squeezed around a couple intensely involved with one another.

_Maybe: Julie, may I have this dance? Ugh._ He dismissed that idea with a shake of his head. _Waaay too prissy_. He approached the bar.

"One Comet Icy and one Asteroid Blast, please," he told the man at the counter.

"You got it, kid." The bartender set down two glasses and poured simultaneously the different drinks. Paying the man, Ben made his way back to where he left Julie a blue and purple drink in each hand.

But Julie was gone.


	2. The Young & The Hopeless

_But Julie was gone._

* * *

Ben scanned the club in a slight panic, but he couldn't make out anyone in the poor lighting.

"Excuse me…" Pushing through the sea of people, he wandered in hopes of sighting of her, catching snippets of conversations.

"Johnny, let's dance…" a girl whined.

"…the game last night…"

"I know. Totally…"

"And then I said to him…"

"Hey, babe, you alone?"

"Sorry, I'm with someone." He spun around when he heard that it was Julie's voice.

"You look alone to me." Ben spotted Julie cornered by two loutish looking individuals.

"Hey." He strode over.

"Ben!" Julie looked relieved.

"She's with me." He nodded to Julie. "Come on, let's go."

"Hold on a minute, pal." One of the juveniles with a particular wide forehead stepped forwards to block his path. "We weren't done talking."

"Yeah," his partner in crime piped up, cracking his knuckles.

A crowd was forming around them. Ben realized the situation could get ugly quick if he didn't defuse it somehow.

"Uh – maybe we should take this conversation outside." He mentally kicked himself, recognizing his poor word choice the second after they left his mouth.

"How about we keep it in here tough guy!" jeered the first brute shoving him, which sloshed the drinks Ben was still holding over his hands.

"Not so tough now are you?"

"Look guys, let's not make a scene." Ben's plea was lost on them as they advanced towards him with clear hostile intent.

"Alright, fine!" Angry surged through him. "If that's the way it's gonna be…"

Ben thrust the remainder of the refreshments in their faces. They stumbled back in surprise. Ben wasted no time in exploiting the opening he was given. Dropping down, he kicked the legs out from under one of them causing him to fall flat on his back.

"Why you…" the bully with the low forehead charged at Ben.

"Ben, watch out!" Julie cried out.

Ben dropped into a fighting stance, dodging the punch aimed at him, while throwing one of his own. His fist made contact with the underside of his opponent's chin, sending him staggering back into his friend. Both collapsed again.

People around him applauded and shouted out their approval.

Ben stepped forward; his hand hovered over the Omnitrix.

"Ben, don't!" begged Julie griping his arm.

A couple of bouncers pushed through the masses to come up on either side of the boys.

"Excuse me, but you two will have to come with us." They escorted the delinquents away. Slowly, the club resumed its normal activities.

Ben breathed a sigh of relief.

"Come on, Julie. Let's go." Ben pulled her through the crowd.

"Let go!" Julie shrugged out of his grip.

"Julie–"

"I thought you were above that type of stuff, Ben. I thought you were better than that," she choked, tears streaming down her face. "But the truth is you're no better than those thugs!"

She turned and fled for the exit.

"Julie!" Ben called chasing after her. People merged between them giving her a good head start.

He nearly lost sight of her by time he got outside, but out of the corner of his eye saw her disappear around the edge of the building.

"Julie, wait!" He rounded the turn into a completely empty alleyway.

_Where could she have gotten to so quickly?_ he wondered looking up and down the alley.

"Ben!" He turned around to see Gwen and Kevin hurrying up to him.

"Ben, are you alright?" Gwen's face was a mask of concern. "We saw what happened."

"Who didn't?" Ben spat bitterly thinking of the commotion they'd – no that he had made. "I've gotta go after her."

"Hey, tough break and all man, but you should let her cool off," Kevin recommended.

"Kevin's right, Ben," Gwen said sympathetically patting his back. "Some space after a fight is always best. Talk about it tomorrow after you've both had some time to mull thing over."

Ben sighed dejectedly. "Okay."

The three teens trudged towards the road, completely unaware that they where being watched.


	3. Hunting High And Low

_The three teens trudged towards the road, completely unaware that they where being watched._

* * *

XxXxXxXxX

School the next day dragged by slowly. Ben was still depressed over his fight with Julie. He had to find her and apologize somehow for his overreaction at the club last night.

With a weighty sigh at the end of the day, he staggered to his locker.

_Honestly, what was I thinking last night_? he berated himself. _I can't believe I almost used the Omnitrix over those losers. No wonder she was upset_. He put his books away and slammed the locker door shut.

"Hey, Ben," a timid voice greeted him. He turned around to see one of Julie's friends hovering a few feet away.

"Oh, hey." He returned the greeting racking his brain for the girl's name.

"I was wondering if you'd seen Julie?"

"Julie?" He apprehension boiled up inside him. He ceased trying to recall the girl's identity. "Not since last night. Is everything okay?"

"Well, no one has seen her. Her parents called me last night and said that she hadn't come home…" she trailed off.

"What?" Ben looked alarmed. "Uh… listen, thanks for telling me. I gotta run." He took off in the direction of the school parking lots to find Gwen and Kevin. He spotted them next to Kevin's car chatting.

"Whoa, where's the fire?" Kevin asked as Ben rushed up.

"It's Julie," he blurted out. "Julie's missing. We've gotta find her!"

"Wait, slow down, Ben," Gwen rested a hand on his shoulder. "What do you mean by missing?"

"She's been missing since last night. She never made it home and no one's seen her," he relayed the information he'd just discovered. "I shouldn't have let her go off like that." He shook his in disbelief at his own stupidity. So much could happen to a person wondering alone in that part of town at night. Especially to a girl.

"I'm sure she's alright…" started Gwen, but catching the look in his eyes abandoned whatever words of comfort she was going to say. "…But we'll help you look for her."

XxXxXxXxX

"This is where I lost her last night." Ben stopped walking down the alley, reaching the remembered vicinity.

"Nothin' odd here," Kevin noted, looking about. There was a dumpster and a few boarded up windows on the building next door but no signs anything unusual had happened there.

"Hey, guys!" Gwen called from the other side of the dumpster. "Over here." The boys approached her.

"Look." She pointed at a padlocked trapdoor jutting out from the asphalt.

"I wonder were that goes," Ben mused.

"Okay," Kevin pushed them out of the way. "Stand back." He touched the metal door and ripped off the lock. Opening the flaps, he stepped back. Ben and Gwen crowded in around him.

"Were do you think it goes?" Gwen asked staring into the blackness.

"One way to find out." Ben jumped down.

"Ben!" Gwen cried out her objection too late. He landed roughly and looked around. Light streamed in from overhead but beyond was a shadowy abyss.

"I'm okay," he called up. "It's not a far drop."

Venturing forwards, he heard the other two land from behind him. Slowly, his eyes adjusted and he could make out the slight outlines of boxes and half open crates.

"I think we're in some type of storage room," Gwen said coming up beside him.

"We're probably just below the club," Kevin observed. "But I don't see a way out."

"Look over there," she pointed in the direction of a faint glow. "I think that's our way out."

Carefully edging closer towards the weak luminosity, they found a staircase heading up with a thin stripe of light coming from beneath the door. Ben was the first ascending the stairs and go through the door. Kevin and Gwen were right behind him.

"You're right," Ben acknowledged to Kevin over his shoulder. "It's a back entrance into the club."

"It looks creepy all empty like this," said Gwen, the last one up, shutting the door behind her. The lively setting from last night was now eerily quiet. Meticulously in order, there was no sign of even a janitor setting foot in the room. All three teens advanced farther into the club, gazing around at the silent nightspot, oblivious to the figure approaching them.


	4. Here We Go Again

_All three teens advanced farther into the club, gazing around at the silent nightspot, oblivious to the figure approaching them._

* * *

"What are you kids doing here?" a gruff voice surprised them. All three teens spun around ready to fight. Ben stopped when he recognized the bouncer.

"Hey, um… Chez, right?" he asked nervously.

"Lookin' for an earring." Kevin stepped forwards with his invented explanation. He jerked his thumb at Gwen. "She lost one last night."

"Huh?" Chez looked skeptical.

"I guess I won't be getting it back, though," Gwen spoke up. "You seemed to have cleaned up the place pretty thoroughly."

"Yeah, the owner's real particular about stuff like that," Chez said distracted from his initial inquiry. "Every day at closing, everything's gotta be spotless. Clean-up crew are always the last to leave."

"Seems like all that hard work is gonna go to waste after the crowd this place'll bring tonight," Ben commented.

"Actually, we're gonna be closed tonight. Something came up. I wasn't even supposed to be here, but I forgot my wallet in the employ lockers," Chez explained. "Come on, I'll walk you kids out."

The three of them had no choice but to trail after him. Ben was disappointed. He was no closer to finding Julie then he was before.

_I hope she's all right. I was a jerk for not finding her last night, _he self-criticized.

_If I had gone after her she would be missing right now._

So preoccupied with thoughts of Julie, he didn't even notice that he was no longer following directly behind the others until he walked smack into a pair of glowing red eyes.

"Gaagh!" He gave a strangled cry, leaping back. He was starring straight into the sinister face of the lion statue he'd pointed out to Julie earlier.

"What is it, Ben?" Gwen asked turning around.

"The lion's eyes… it j-just…" He stuttered trying to explain what happened. Chez chortled, coming up along side him.

"It's just ol' Leo," he patted the metal lion's head affectionately. "He's got mechanical wiring inside. Acts as sort of a nanny cam for the place."

"Ha! Scared of a statue, Tennyson?" Kevin taunted. Gwen rolled her eyes.

Chez grinned over at Ben. "Don't worry. I remember the first time I caught sight of those red peepers I nearly had a heart-attack."

He gestured for them to continue after him out the door. Ben glanced once more suspiciously back over his shoulder metal sculpture before exiting. Outside, Chez turned to them.

"Well, this is goodbye. Don't let me catch you sneaking in anymore. Beats me how you got in behind me, anyhow," he added almost as an after-though to himself, feeling about his pockets. "Just let me lock up… Blast it! I left my keys inside. Would you kids mind waiting here a minute at the door so no one comes in?"

Ben looked over at Kevin and Gwen who just shrugged. "Sure."

"Thanks. Be right back." Chez scooted back inside leaving them alone. They stood there awkwardly.

"Chez's always been a little forgetful," explained Kevin, breaking the silence.

Suddenly, there was a loud clatter from inside.

"That didn't sound good," Ben said. The three heroes rushed back into the club. There was no sign of Chez. The room was completely empty, as spotless as they had left it.

"Didn't I shut that door?" Gwen asked. Ben pivoted towards the back door that they'd entered the club from. It was ajar.

"Yeah…" Kevin trailed off. The strange sound of a machine whirring floated through the room. "What's that weird noise?"

A loud bang made the teens jump and a faint greenish glow danced through the open doorway.

"O-kaaay," Ben dragged out the second syllable. "Not normal."

"But there was nothing down there before," Kevin protested as they headed to investigate.

They reached to bottom of the stairs to find a hidden passage left unbolted; bright green light streaming through.

"That definitely wasn't there before," clarified Kevin, as they proceeding down the unknown corridor. Turning a bend, Gwen let out a small gasp.

"Whoa," Ben gaped at the scene before him. "What the heck is this?"

'This' was rows of people in a comatose state stretched out on metal bunks. The brilliant green illumination emitted from machines next to the beds that looked like it monitored their vitals. A weirdly shaped helmet with wires connecting into each had a human fastened.

"I have no idea," Gwen said. "But they all seem to be hooked up to that thing." She pointed to the center were all the wires appeared to converge together into an odd computer.

"That's some type of energy modulator," Kevin declared walking up to it. He bent in to observe the buttons. "They can convert any kind of power into a different energy source. Here," he pointed. "Human brain power is being taken."

"For what?" Gwen wondered.

"Don't know," Kevin responded, turning around. "The only way to–" He was cut off abruptly by laser-fire zipping past his nose, scorching the wall behind him.

"What the–" Ben whipped about to see an army of black humanoid figures wearing thick metal bracelets acrobatically moving in to surround them.

"Who the heck are these guys?" Ben eyebrows shot up.

"I'm thinking maybe this is the cleaning crew," quipped Kevin sardonically, squatting down to touch the concrete floor. Gwen summoned mana-balls to each hand.

"Right." Ben pulled back his sleeve and adjusted his Omnitrix. "Hero time!" Selecting one, he began his transformation process.

* * *

_**Author's Note: I just realized my last few chapters were kinda short. I promise longer chapters in the future.**_


	5. Bouncing Off The Walls

_Selecting one, he began his transformation process._

* * *

He hit the Omnitrix not a moment too soon. His hand had barely touched the button and they attacked.

"Spidermonkey!" Ben jumped up gleefully, grabbing on to a pipe running across the low ceiling. Swinging about to avoid being blasted, he noticed that the ninja-like troupe seemed to fire the laser from metal bands around their wrists. He shot out a few web nets, trapping many attackers. Ben turned to look over at his teammates' progress.

Busy dealing with a frontal assault, Gwen was oblivious to enemies sneaking up in back of her. Ben pounced from behind, wrapping them in a sticky cocoon.

Satisfied his cousin was now fine on her own, Ben glanced over at Kevin, who was dancing about so each being was forced to charge at him individually. He would then finish them with one sickening blow to the face.

"Heh! These guys go down quick!" Kevin enthusiastically swung at another one of their assailants.

"Yeah… they do…" Ben trailed off, pondering. He peered closer at the aliens swathed in his web-bundle. They didn't look alike any aliens he knew of. Obviously, there were probably lots of alien species he didn't know about, the universe being a vast place, but… One of the aliens let out a muted, very-human moan.

"Huh?" Curious, Ben grabbed the head of the individual and pulled experimentally. Away came a black stocking-like hood in his hand. Underneath the mask was a very-human face.

"Wait! Stop, you guys!" He called to Gwen and Kevin. "They're humans!"

"What?" exclaimed Gwen, shoving a mana-wall into some attackers causing them to topple over.

"Yeah? They don't seem like letting up," Kevin noted as several rushed at him. Gwen threw up another shield to protect herself, as another volley was fired on her.

"Hey!" Ben hollered, leaping up out of the way of a blast. "Excuse me! We're all humans here!" He dodged another laser shot. "Hey! Cease fire!"

There was a shrill whistle and all attackers backed away.

"See what happens when you talk things out," Ben said condescendingly, landing next to the other two, reverting back to his original form. Kevin rolled his eyes. A figure stepped forwards.

"Now!" A faceless man ordered.

"Wait… what?" The three teens looked confused. Thick yellow fumes billowed around them. They fell down coughing. Dropping to his hands and knees, Ben felt himself slip out of conscious.

XxXxXxXxX

Blearily, Ben blinked his eyes open to a bright overhead light.

"Ben… Ben…" He turned foggily towards the voice. It was Gwen. She was strapped down next to him on a metal slab – exactly like the ones they saw those people in the other room. As rest of the world came into focus, he realized that he was strapped down on a metal table, too. Looking beyond Gwen, he saw Kevin; out cold, and the bouncer, twitching slightly, and a small figure down at the very end was…

"Julie!" He struggled to get free. Failing he looked over to Gwen.

"I can't get my mana to grip these cuffs properly," she answer his anticipated question. "And I didn't want to risk exploding them off some way."

Ben groaned hitting the back of his head against the table.

"I've been awake for a while." Gwen said trying to distract him from the situation. "The people that captured us are just behind that door. There's about twenty. They keep sending someone in to check on us about every ten minutes. I've been pretending to be asleep the whole time."

"Hear anything useful from them?"

"No. But they've got _lots_ of alien tech." She stopped abruptly at the sound of movement from the other side of the door. Ben stiffened. The noise faded away.

"That stuff they gassed us with was some type of off-world compound," Gwen continued in a low whisper. "It didn't work too well on Chez. He was thrashing about and they injected him with a completely different alien chemical."

"Sounds like a bunch of drug-happy thugs," Ben said dryly.

"They seem pretty well organized," Gwen pointed out. "This didn't just happen overnight."

A moan drew their attention. Kevin was coming to.

"Wh-what happen?" He slurred groggily.

"We got caught." Ben gave him an abbreviated explanation of events. He sighed. "All thanks to me."

"Ben! You can't say that!" Gwen protested.

"Yes, I can. If I–" He was cut off by the searing screech of metal being pulled apart. A metallic Kevin was breaking free of his bonds.

"Before you start the pity-fest," Kevin turned to them, twisting a creak from his neck. "What'd ya say we kick some butt?"

"But they're humans, Kevin," Gwen objected as he snapped off her binds.

"So?" He moved on to free Ben.

"So we need to find out more what's going on here," Ben said rubbing his wrists. "Something's really fishy about all of this."

"What are we gonna do about them?" Kevin nodded towards Chez and Julie. "They'll be dead weight."

"We're taking them with us," Ben declared without hesitation. There was no way he'd leave Julie behind. "We can bring them outside and then sneak back in and see what these guys are up to." They nodded their agreement.

Kevin broke the bands fastening Julie down and proceed to do the same for Chez. Ben scooped Julie up. Gwen and Kevin supported Chez's hulk between them.

"We need to hurry. They'll be back soon." _How much time has passed?_ he wondered. _Hopeful we can still get some distance_.

Awkwardly, they made their way out down a corridor. Ben was surprised and relieved to find the cost was clear.

_This is great! Now if we can just slip out of here without a hitch_…

Rounding the corner, Ben stifled a groan of despair. The hall spilt into a labyrinth of pathways.

_You'd think I'd learn by now nothing's ever that simple_.

"Any ideas?" He turned to Gwen and Kevin.

"One second." Gwen squeezed her eyes shut in concentration. A faint purple light glowed from underneath her lids.

"It's that way," she opened her eyes, pointing to the left most passage.

"You sure?" Kevin looked dubiously down the dark hall.

"Positive. I scanned for energy of things we would find outside. This had the clearest route to that."

"Oh." They continued down the passage in silence.

Gradually, the hallway widened and they could see more green illumination ahead. There was also quite a lot of activity up ahead.

Pressing their backs to the wall, they carefully approached the open archway and peeked around. It led to another busy chamber. Their captors were buzzing about moving several crates. In the center on the room was super-sized version on the device they'd seen the missing people hooked up to. An oily man with a goatee stood on a platform next to the contraption ordering about the others.

"Who do you think that is?" Ben asked noticing the unmasked man.

"That's the manager," Chez groaned coming to. "I definitely recognize that voice."

"How you feeling, man?" Kevin loosened his hold so Chez could stand on his own.

"Dizzy," he grunted falling back on Kevin and Gwen for support.

"Come on, we can hid over there." Gwen gestured to one side where an alcove had been created by some boxes no one had touched. They darted behind the crates. Ben carefully set Julie down before standing up. Kevin helped Chez prop himself up against the containers.

"There's no way we're gonna make it out of here without them seeing us," Ben observed. He was amazed they managed to take cover without being caught.

"What if we go back another way?" Kevin suggested.

"Too risky," Ben shook his head.

"Quick! Duck down!" Gwen hissed as two men passed them by. Kevin and Ben dropped.

Cautiously raising his head, Ben peaked out over the boxes. He sighted only one way out; a large automatic door at the opposite end of the room.

"I think we'll be fighting our way out," Ben said pulling back the arm of his coat for the second time that evening. Kevin perked up. Gwen sighed her reluctance but nodded firmly in agreement.

"I can help you, kids," Chez offered, trying to get to his feet.

"You don't look so good. Maybe you should sit this one out," Kevin advised.

"Besides, someone should watch Julie," Gwen said.

"Maybe you're right." He sat back down. "Hit 'em hard for me."

"Plan to," grinned Kevin, touching the floor to absorb up a full-body armor.

"Right. Let's go." Ben pushed down on the Omnitrix. In a few seconds Big Chill announced his appearance throatily.

"What was that?" Several men turned towards the crates. Ben swiftly employed the alien's spectral abilities and sailed invisibly over their heads. He carefully took aim and froze their feet to the ground, while flying past to blast the other perpetrators. Gwen and Kevin rushed out from either side of the crates knocking out the frozen men, as well as anyone else unfortunate enough to get within reach.

Ben flew over to the doorway they'd entered through and created an ice wall to barricade any aid from the other side. Soaring back around he helped his two teammates, he froze as many hands and feet as he could. It was the best he could do without hurting them. Normal humans were pretty frail, after all and despite having amazing technology these were just ordinary humans.

Ben hovered to survey their handiwork. Nearly all the gang was down. Except for one. Ben noticed the slippery character Chez had identified as the manager attempting to slip away. Ben got ready to take off after him, but he walked smack into Kevin first.

"You've got some explaining to do," Kevin jabbed a finger at him.


	6. Burn Baby Burn

"_You've got some explaining to do," Kevin jabbed a finger at him._

* * *

The manager paled and tried to take off in the opposite direction. Ben got there first.

"Nnuh-uh," he clucked at the frighten man, blocking him.

"Just what where you people doing anyhow?" Gwen demanded closing in from another angle.

Seeing that he was completely cut off, without means of escape, his shoulders sagged in defeat.

"Good," Ben growled, trying to look as menacing as possible. "Running is pointless. We know you where taking energy from those people, what were you using it for?"

"Fine. I'll talk," the beaten man spat out bitterly. "I was cutting down on the electric bill."

"What?" the three heroes chorused.

"You mean you've been kidnapping people and using their energy to power the club?" Gwen nearly shrieked with incredulity.

"Hey!" the manager protested a bit defensively. "Do you have any idea how much it costs to run a place like this? Sucking out a little brainpower won't hurt them permanently. Plus, if I can make this place profit the owner might let me run my _own_ chain." He smiled dreamily at the thought. Ben felt sickened looking at the man.

_Pow!_ Kevin's fist connected solidly with the slimly man's breaded jaw. The punch sent him reeling back but not unconscious.

"What'd you that for, Kevin?" Ben exclaimed.

"You heard him. No aliens. Just human. Call the cops and be down with it." Kevin walked away in disgust.

"But they're using alien tech too dangerous for ordinary humans," Gwen pointed out.

"Yeah? Alright then." Kevin spun back around. "Who were the aliens selling you this tech?" He shook the man by his shirt collar.

"Alien? What aliens?" He looked perplexed. "I just bought this stuff through a guy on the black market."

Kevin made a noise of frustration and tossed the man away from him. The manager fell hard into some stacked boxes by the green podish machine, which tumbled over into smashing it completely. He did not get up.

"Unbelievable," Gwen muttered shaking her head. Ben wondered if she was talking about the man or Kevin.

"Hey, you kids!" Chez came over sprinting with Julie next to him.

"Julie!" Ben called.

"Hi… um, Ben?" Julie eyed him uncertainly.

Realizing he was still Big Chill, Ben quickly morphed back to his human self.

"Ha, ha," he chuckled bashfully at his mistake. She'd never seen him in this form. "Hi."

"Hi." There was an uncomfortable pause neither knew how to break.

"Julie…" He started.

"No, Ben, last night was my fault." She held up her hand. "I overreacted. I know you were just trying to protect me." She took his hand. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah? I'm sorry too," Ben apologized. Julie smiled sweet up at him.

"I know." Moving forwards she placed a gentle kiss on his lips. Ben met her eyes with a stupefied look etched on his face.

"Whoa." He certainly wanted to do _that_ again. Julie colored slightly and looked down. Tenderly, he cupped his hand around her cheek and brought her head up to face him again. Leaning in closer, closer, closer…

"Ben and Julie sittin' in a tree…" Kevin taunted behind them under his breath. Ben pulled back in surprise. So lost in the moment, he'd completely forgotten about the other three standing there. Gwen glared at Kevin and elbowed him into silence. He gave her an innocent shrug. Gwen pursed her lips in a smirked and whispered something into his ear that sent him into a furious blush.

"What was that about?" asked Julie peering curiously over her shoulder, having missed their antics.

"No idea," he answered truthfully. He'd have to weasel it out of Gwen later.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw something spark. Instantly a fire ignited and spread to the boxes around. Soon the whole chamber was ablaze. Frantically, Ben fumbled with the Omnitrix at his wrist. Nothing happen.

"Oh, no!" Ben wailed. The Omnitrix was dead.

"Hold on!" Gwen rushed forwards and attempted to create a dome of mana around the fire to smother it out. Something in one of the containers exploded sending her flying backwards.

"Gwen!" Kevin rushed forwards to catch her.

"_Ooof_!" They collided together.

"Quick that way!" Chez cried pointing towards the only available exit. They tore down the dark passageway, which was growing uneasily brighter from the inferno behind them.

The five of them rushed round a bend towards an automatic steel door and into a connecting room. Kevin and Ben quickly barred it. Ben looked around and recognized that it was the same antechamber they'd first seen except for one major difference.

"All those people should be here," Gwen looked about in alarm. "Where did they all go?"

* * *

**_Oops! I know I promised longer chapters and this one is kinda short._**

**_Next time. Really._**


	7. And Justice For All

"_Where did they all go?"_

* * *

"People? What people?" Julie asked bemused.

Ben gulped. The equipment in the room was identical in setup as before but it lacked one very important component: all the comatose humans were missing.

"There were lots of people here, all hooked up to these machines," Ben explained, walking over to one, examining it in hopes of finding some sort of clue. To his surprise, Kevin joined him in rummaging around the tangle of wires.

"See anything useful?" Gwen called to over to them from another machine she was investigating.

"Yep," Kevin answered while ripping out several circuit boards from the back of one of the devices.

"What are you doing?" Ben looked at Kevin in alarm.

"What does it look like? Grabbing some tech," Kevin replied coolly. Ben shook his head in disbelief. It never failed to amaze him how skewed his teammates priorities could be.

"Hey!" Julie's exclamation of surprise drew everyone's attention.

"What is it?" Ben asked, approaching her.

"This," she pointed down at something. "Before I was knocked out I remember seeing this symbol."

They all crowded around Julie to peer at the sign. There, engraved on the edge of the table, was a simplistically designed eye.

"Yeah…" Chez looked thoughtfully at the mark. "I think I remember seeing something like that too."

"Well, if that the cas–"

_BOOM!_ A deafening explosion rattled their teeth. The metal door flew out landing across the chamber. Oxygen starved flames leaped through the doorway. Ben could feel his eyebrows sizzle in the searing heat. It wouldn't be long before the whole room was engulfed too.

"Run!" Ben didn't know who shouted out the advice but it seemed like a good idea. Once again, they took off down a narrow corridor, Ben in the lead. Reaching the club's basement, they stumbling up the rickety steps, and tore out of the nightclub. At last, safe on the street, Ben turned around.

The hottest teen hotspot was smoking. Literally. Ben knew lots of the buildings in this part of town were older and tended to have wooden frameworks; but gazing at the conflagration, he couldn't help but wonder if someone had dose the place in gasoline. The building seemed to have ignited instantly. In the distant, he could hear sirens and the horn of a fire engine closing in.

XxXxXxXxX

Later, after the blaze was put out, they watched the police march a number of the criminals out of the warehouse and into waiting squad cars. It seemed that most had managed to escape into the honeycomb maze of tunnels running beneath the block. They were caught when they tried to escape out of a back sewer pipe and a few even managed to hole up in one of the underground chambers. None of the original missing people had been found. Ben suspected that they'd been moved before the fire had even started, for whatever reason. Chez was now talking to the police about what had happened. It'd be their turn soon. Ben surveyed the wreckage. All that was left of the club was an incinerated skeleton structure. He doubted the police would be able to find any evidence worth salvaging.

"It's too bad about that statue," Julie spoke up next to him, looking over the burned remains the fire department had put out. "It was really pretty."

"Yeah." Personally, Ben was fine with the metal sculpture being destroyed; it gave him the creeps.

"Julie!" Someone called from the corner. Ben turned to see an anxious couple hovering from behind police lines.

"Mom! Dad!" Julie rushed over to greet her parents. Kevin and Gwen came over to join Ben in watching the tearful reunion.

"Where do you think he got the tech?" Ben asked referring to the manager.

"Who knows," Kevin shrugged. "I could ask around but chances are slim of finding out."

"Even if he thought it was a human he was buying from, they could have been wearing a mask." Gwen pointed out.

"Yeah." Ben sighed.

"Hey," Chez called over coming up to the three disgruntled heroes. "I just got done talking to the cops now. Be informing the owner of their manager's arson and lunatic who likes to experiment on people. Oh, and I reasoned with them a bit," he nodded back at the police. "They said you can take off now, since it's so late and all. You've just gotta go by the station and make a statement tomorrow."

"Thanks, Chez," Kevin said gratefully. The other two echoed his appreciation.

"You kids take care." Chez waved and walked off.

"Well that's that I guess," Gwen said.

"Yeah."

"Let's get going," said Ben, thinking of how he'd have to explain the stench of smoke surround him to his parents.

Loading into Kevin's car, they took one last look at the burned rubble.

"Blast it," Kevin muttered pulling away from the scene.

"Don't worry," Gwen touched his arm compassionately. "Someone will find those people."

"No, it's not that," he exhaled regretfully. "All that alien tech, gone!"

"Kevin!" Gwen griped and began ranting on about the poor principles of her teammate.

Ben groaned and leaned back to stare up at the roof of the car while the squabble ensued in the front seat. Julie was safe. That would do for now. They would search for the missing people another day. Or the police would continue looking. Besides, he had a feeling this couldn't have been the whole operation. They'd see more of this in the future soon enough.

XxXxXxXxX

"Well, my pet, the human proved useless to our cause," a raspy voice complained. A claw-like hand drummed rhythmlessly on the edge of a table. A hooded figure turned around towards the doorway.

"I'll just have to take matters into my own hands." The individual croaked at the shadow looming there. There was no answer save for the faint purring of gears and glowing red eyes…

* * *

_**Aaaah! Sorry, folks, but this is the end of "Dance It Up." I did **__**NOT**__** intend to end it this way. In fact, I spent all weekend trying to think of ways to re-write it. It just happened! (whimpers for mercy in the corner)**_

_**I swear that there will be a squeal and I will post it as soon as possible.**_


End file.
